The invention relates to a front end forklift truck with a pivotable operator seat unit mounted on the truck body between a front end lift structure and a rear box structure, which receives drive components and serves as a counterweight.
The invention is particularly concerned with forklift trucks for use in storage buildings. Such forklift trucks must be short and maneuverable in narrow spaces. In such front end forklifts, the space between the front end lift structure and the rear box structure, which extends over the full width of the fork lift and accommodates the batteries and/or other drive components and which, at the same time, serves a counterweight, is quite tight. Therefore, the operator seat is generally mounted rigidly onto the cover of the rear box structure.
Since the load picked up by the lift structure often blocks the front view of the operator, most loads are transported in reverse while the operator twists his body on the rigid seat backward. This, however, tires the operator""s back and his neck and may even result in health problems. It would therefore be desirable to support the seat so that it can be pivoted.
The magazine xe2x80x9cMECHANICAL HANDLINGxe2x80x9d, Mar. 1969, Page 73, describes a large front end fork lift truck in which the complete operator seat unit consisting of an operator seat and a steering and operating control panel is supported between the front end lift structure and the rear box structure on a plate which is not only rotatable about a vertical axis, but which also can be moved sidewardly over the width of the forklift truck. Such a design, however, cannot be transferred to compact front end forklift trucks since there is simply not sufficient space available.
DE OS 30 42 956 discloses a front end forklift truck with an operator seat unit which includes a steering and operating control panel and which is rotatable by 180xc2x0. In this arrangement front and rear sets of pedals are provided so as to be used depending on whether the operator faces toward the front or toward the back. The operator space extends almost over the full length of the vehicle and over half of its width. The battery box structure takes up the other half of the width of the vehicle. However, at least as shown in the publication, the arrangement does not appear to be operative since the pivot axis is shown in the center of the vehicle so that any pivot movement appears to be blocked by the battery box structure. The arrangement is therefore not practicable as shown and certainly cannot be used in connection with compact forklift trucks which have a rear box structure extending over the full width of the vehicle.
There is further a forklift truck in use (Company Linde, Type 25 xe2x80x9cPanoramaxe2x80x9d), wherein the operator seat is disposed on a turn structure disposed below the operator seat so that it is pivotable about a vertical axis by 45xc2x0. An operator control panel for controlling the lift unit is mounted to the operator seat and is movable with the seat. A steering wheel is sta tionary and two sets of pedals are provided, one for each pivot end position of the operator seat. In this design, the operator seat is arranged relatively high on an intermediate deck in order to permit installation of the pivot arrangement for the seat.
As a result, it is not only relatively difficult for the operator to climb into the seat, but the center of gravity of the forklift truck is relatively high so that it has a relatively low tipping stability. In addition, the operator may get confused with all the pedals or his feet may get stuck in the pedals. Furthermore, the steering wheel position is inconvenient in any position of the operator.
It is the object of the present invention to provide for a compact forklift truck a pivotable operator seat unit which does not require the seat to be noticeably raised.
In a front end forklift truck having a load lifting unit disposed at its front end and a rear box structure with drive components disposed at its rear end, an operator seat unit is mounted on a pivot column disposed in front of the rear box structure so as to project rearwardly from the column over the box structure. A footrest and pedal structure extend forwardly from the bottom area of the column for pivotal movement there with. Steering and control members for steering the forklift truck and for controlling the load lifting unit are mounted to the pivotable operator seat.
The arrangement can easily be accommodated by compact forklift trucks of conventional design. Since the operator seat extends from the support column over the rear box structure the seat is barely higher than it would be if mounted directly onto the box structure.
An embodiment of the invention will be described in detail on the basis of the accompanying drawings.